Cupcake Merlot (75cl, 14.5%)

Cupcake Merlot is a 100% Merlot from California's Central Coast, produced by The Wine Group. The fruit comes from vineyards along the Central Coast, where warm, sunny days and cool Pacific-influenced nights extend the growing season. After harvest, careful extraction pulls soft tannins and colour before the wine is pressed and aged on American oak. The nose offers ripe plum and red cherry, followed by cocoa, vanilla and cassis. The palate is juicy and fruit-forward, with red cherry, blueberry, jammy boysenberry and plum, then cocoa, espresso and a trace of black pepper. Soft, well-integrated tannins carry the fruit. The finish is medium in length, with dark chocolate, espresso and a hint of herbal complexity.